1870. ] 
CAMELLIA LEOPOLD lEB.—ALPINE FLOWERS, 
97 
CAMELLIA LEOPOLD Ier. 
WITH AN ILLUSTRATION. 
‘’E figure tins Camellia, not for its absolute novelty, for it is now some few 
years old, but as one of tbe most beautiful and useful of modern 
varieties. As shown by our illustration, tlie flowers are above medium 
size, beautifully imbricated, and highly coloured, while the foliage is 
good, the habit vigorous, and the plant remarkably floriferous,—qualities which 
stamp it as a Camellia of the very first rank. 
The Camellia Leopold Ier was raised byM. De Coster about 1856, and 
passed over to M. Jean Verschaffelt, by whom it was exhibited before the Societe 
Eoyale d’Agriculture et de Botanique de Gand, in 1861, when it was awarded 
the medal offered for the most beautiful seedling Camellia. We are indebted to 
Mr. Bull, of Chelsea, for the opportunity of figuring it. 
The habit of the plant is pyramidal, and well branched ; the foliage is ample, 
ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, and of a beautiful deep, glossy green; the flowers 
are large, exactly imbricated, and of a vivid carmine crimson, becoming shaded 
with rose at the margin. It is a most valuable variety for general cultivation 
—not yet well enough known, nor widely enough distributed,—T. M. 
ALPINE FLOWERS FOR ENGLISH GARDENS. 
UCH is the title of an admirable book,* in which Mr. Robinson gives us the 
results of his experiences amongst Alpine flowers, not only as met with in 
their native homes, but also as seen—too often, indeed, struggling for 
existence—in gardens and on artificial rockeries. Alpine flowers represent 
a branch of modern gardening which was waiting to be competently discussed, 
and we can assure those who may be seeking for information thereon, that in 
Mr. Robinson’s book they will find full justice done to the subject, and that by 
a loving hand, for to him both Alpine plants and their culture are familiar as 
household words, and hence his teachings on these subjects carry with them 
the weight of authority. 
Alpine flowers are in very many cases the most brilliant and exquisite of 
earth’s living gems; but though their beauty and the vividness of their colouring 
are well known, yet somehow or other the idea has been formed, and held to 
with much tenacity, that these cloud-born subjects of Flora’s kingdom are not to 
be kepu in health and vigour when confined to lowland gardens. The object of 
the book before us, we are told in the Introduction, is to show this to be an error, 
and to prove that intelligent cultivation will prove as successful with the plants 
of the coldest and most elevated regions, as it has already proved with the 
choicest plants of steaming tropical forests. 
* Alpine Flowe7's for English Gardens. By W. Robinson, F.L.S., Author of “The Parks, Promenades, and 
Gardens of Paris." With numerous Illustrations. London: Murray. 
3rd series. —III. 
F 
